That reoccurring one may be telling you something.

Flying through the air, appearing naked before a conference room full of colleagues, discovering a secret staircase in your house — some pretty wild things can happen after you doze off at night. But aside from a funny story, do our dreams really provide us with any useful information? In a word, yes. "Dreams can help guide us and show us where we need to go to fulfill our deepest longings," says Patricia Garfield, PhD, cofounder of The Association for the Study of Dreams and author of Creative Dreaming. "During the day we're too busy to pay attention to everything that our body is registering, but when we're asleep we can notice all the subtle things going on within us," whether that's fear, anxiety stress or longing. To start discovering what your subconscious may be trying to tell you, check out the meaning behind these common dreams.

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DREAM #1: You find yourself back in high school, about to take an exam you're totally unprepared for.
This is a classic stress dream, says Dr. Garfield. Nightmares of arriving on exam day without a pencil or without having reviewed the materials show that you've bitten off more than you can chew in an area of your waking life, whether it's tackling a new project at work or agreeing to head your school's PTA chapter. A dream like this means you should consider evaluating what areas of life you feel overextended in and figure out a way to manage them in a less stressful way.

DREAM #2: You're nude in public.
Appearing naked before a packed auditorium or street full of people indicates that you're feeling vulnerable in some way, says Dr. Garfield. If, for example, you dream about being in your birthday suit at the office, it may mean that you fear your colleagues' disapproval about an upcoming work project. When you wake up, try to identify what you feel insecure about so you can proactively work toward being better prepared and more self-confident.

DREAM #3: You're flying through the air with no fear whatsoever.
Dreams like this one connote liberation — seeing this imagery while you slumber may indicate that you've found a solution to a difficult situation or emotional problem that had been troubling you. Similarly, you might have this type of dream after you've experienced a big achievement at home or work, like acing a presentation or finally tackling that major home improvement project.

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DREAM #4: Your home is damaged by a fire or flood.
In dreams, our homes and cars often symbolize ourselves. "You could say that they're our outer bodies; they're 'shells' that protect us," explains Dr. Garfield. "When bad things happen to our houses or vehicles, it may represent what's happening to our minds or bodies." If you dream that your living room is destroyed, you may be feeling stress in your social relationships. Or, if your bedroom is flooded, it may represent intimacy issues with your mate. Dr. Garfield recommends asking yourself what you use the affected part of the house for and why it's important to gain insight into what your subconscious might be telling you. Losing a wallet or purse may also indicate a loss of self. Because we keep all of our identification there, these items often represent us in dreams. Not being able to find a handbag could mean that you're feeling like you're losing your sense of identity.

DREAM #5: You're paralyzed or trapped.
If you dream that you can't physically move, it might mean you're confused and unsure about what to do in a real-life situation, says Dr. Garfield. (Dreaming that you're lost on unfamiliar city streets or in a large building can also indicate the same thing.) "I had one patient who had recurrent nightmares about being buried alive, but as it turned out he was in a very bad marriage," she recalls. "Once he left the relationship, the nightmares stopped."

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DREAM #6: You find a new room or a whole new wing of rooms in your house.
Discovering new space in your home — often you'll open a door and uncover a staircase that you'd never known was there — "is usually symbolic of some aspect of yourself that is opening up for unanticipated potential," says Dr. Garfield. If, for example, you stumble upon a room full of artwork, you may be realizing your desire to get back into painting. Or if you find a cabinet of family heirlooms, the discovery might symbolize a newfound connection with your relatives.

DREAM #7: You're frantically rushing to make a plane or train, but can't seem to get there on time.
In general, when you're trying to catch transportation, you're attempting to make a desired connection. "The destination that you're trying to reach often represents the bond that you're trying to make," says Dr. Garfield. Can't make the flight to visit your boyfriend? That scenario may indicate that you're anxious to deepen that personal relationship. If in your dreams you're scrambling to catch a train to work without success, you may be worried that you're slipping behind at the office.

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DREAM #8: You're romantically involved with someone other than your spouse.
Even if you're in a happy relationship it's still common to have a romantic dream about someone other than your partner. Though in some cases a dream of infidelity may indicate marital troubles, generally these scenarios have more to do with the dreamer seeking out qualities that he or she feels are missing in his or her waking life. "When I ask patients to describe their dream lover's qualities to me — for instance, he may be affectionate, expressive and tender — chances are the patient desires these same qualities in her waking life," says Dr. Garfield. "These dreams are about a desire to connect with feelings that seem lost to you at the moment."

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DREAM #9: You're driving a car with no brakes.
You feel that some aspect of your life is out of control. "I see this type of dream a lot among female patients who are just entering a new romantic relationship," says Dr. Garfield. "Upon reflection, they admit that while the romance is exciting and fun, they're just not sure it's going in the right direction. The man is moving too fast." The message? You need to slow things down.

DREAM #10: Your teeth fall out.
You have hidden anger. "When we repress rage, we tend to grit our jaw, which can grind down our teeth. The dream is warning you about it," says Dr. Garfield. Usually, the anger has a clear source — say, frustration at work or family drama. A quick fix: Do a physical activity, like taking a walk, to cope with the stress. But if the tension is severe, find long-term ways to deal with — or get out of — the situation.

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DREAM #11: You're falling through the air.
"This dream has a specific symbolic meaning for women: You feel like the ground is being cut out from underneath you, and it's usually linked to a friend or husband who has let you down," says Dr. Garfield. "The dream won't go away unless you address it." To get closure, confront the person. Or at least write down your feelings.

DREAM #12: You're being chased.
You feel threatened by a person or a situation. "Sometimes the imagery is subtle, so you have to dig to figure it out," Dr. Garfield says. "One woman I worked with had a recurring dream of being chased by a nasty poodle. It turned out that a man she disliked had gray curly hair, like the dog." Once you know whom or what the dream represents, you'll be able to understand why you subconsciously feel threatened.

DREAM #13: You — or someone close to you, like your child — are injured or killed.
While scary, these dreams don't usually forecast actual events, says Dr. Garfield. Rather, they represent a life change. "Right before I remarried, I had dreams of my daughter getting hurt. I knew it symbolized her unhappiness with the situation." After a heart-to-heart, the two felt that they'd taken a first step toward resolving the issue.